Taj applies for more chopper licences

NEW DELHI: After getting a rooftop helipad at its Wellington Mews hotel in Mumbai only for the use of top company honchos, the Taj Group has applied for operating helicopters on an island near its famous Lake Palace hotel in the midst of Lake Pichola in Udaipur. The group has also applied for helipad licence for its Hyderabad property, Taj Krishna.
In Udaipur, the group wants to operate to Arsi Vilas — an exclusive island on the lake that was built in 18th century by the local ruler for watching sunsets.This island is very close to the Lake Palace hotel. Interestingly, both these places have been sites for Hollywood shootings with James Bonds' 'Octopussy' being shot at the palace some decades back and Liz Hurley doing a photo shoot at Arsi Vilas two years back.
''We want to operate helicopter service from the Udiapur and Hyderabad airports to these properties. We would also offer direct service from nearby cities, like if somebody wants to fly directly to Lake Palace from Jaipur. The group wants to offer helicopter services at as many places as possible,'' said Manoj Kapadia, managing director of Tata Group's TajSATS, a joint venture of Indian Hotels and Singapore Airport Terminal Services.
Now hotel majors want their new properties and even existing ones to offer this facility.